Treatment of malignant tumors in the parotid glands

This study is a review of 105 patients with histologically confirmed salivary gland carcinoma in the parotid glands. The patients were consecutively registered at the Radium Centre of Copenhagen from 1971 to 1980. The different treatment modalities of these patients are examined concerning recurrence and survival. Sixty-two patients obtained local tumor control, 36 of them were in the group of patients treated with a combination of surgery and irradiation therapy. Twenty-five patients developed distant metastasis, and six patients had disseminated disease at the time of diagnosis. The overall 5-year crude survival in this report is 46%. Tumors of the parotid salivary glands must not be neglected, as early diagnosis and treatment are vital in order to achieve better results.